A new focus of schistosomiasis mansoni in Hayk town, northeastern Ethiopia.

PubMed

Amsalu, Gashaw; Mekonnen, Zeleke; Erko, Berhanu

2015-02-03

The endemicity of human schistosomiasis has long been established in Ethiopia, and new foci have also been continuously reported.The objective of this study was to determine the transmission and magnitude of schistosomiasis in Hayk area, northeastern Ethiopia. A cross sectional parasitological survey involving 384 school children was conducted for intestinal schistosomiasis between January and March 2010 in two primary schools in Hayk area, northeastern Ethiopia. The stool samples were processed for microscopic examination using Kato-Katz technique. Malacological survey and observation on human water contact activities were also carried out. Snails were checked for schistosome infection by shedding and lab-bred mice were exposed to the cercariae shed from Biomphalaria pfeifferi en masse. Adult Schistosoma mansoni worms were harvested from the mice after 45 days of exposure to the schistosome cercariae. The overall prevalence and intensity of intestinal schistosomiasis among school children in Hayk Number 1 and Hayk Number 2 Primary Schools was found to be 45% and 161 epg, respectively. The prevalence of infection had relationship with age and sex. Males were more infected than females. Children in the age group 15-19 years had the highest infection rate, followed by 10-14 and 5-9 years age group. Schistosome infection in Biomphalaria pfeifferi was 3.2%. Schistosome infection was also established in laboratory-bred mice and adult Schistosoma mansoni worms were harvested. The observed intestinal schistosomiasis with prevalence of 45% among young children, collection of schistosome infected Biomphalaria pfeifferi, and the establishment of lab infection in mice showed that transmission of intestinal schistosomiasis is taking place in the area. Preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel should be immediately put in place to reduce morbidity and interrupt transmission of schistosomiasis in the area.

Origins Rock Art and Calendar in Armenia and Anania Shirakatsi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokhatyan, Karen

2014-10-01

A review on the origin of rock art and calendars in Armenia, as well as Anania Shirakatsi's views are given. Astronomy and calendar, formation of the constellations, types of calendars, the Armenian ancient calendar, Armenian Hayk/Orion constellation and corresponding mythological heroes, and further phases of the Armenian calendar are discussed.

The Universe in Armenian Mythological Perceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vardumyan, Gohar

2016-12-01

Ancient Armenians' perceptions and knowledge about the Universe and cosmic phenomena are reflected in pre-Christian mythology. Thousands of years ago, myths were woven on celestial bodies, and, in the form of legends, they have reached the present day. Heathen Armenians, as other developed nations of the Ancient World, knew the five planets of the Solar System seen with the naked eye: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, each of them embodied in mythology by a god or a goddess. In pantheons formed during III-I millennia B.C. those planets of the starry sky are represented as worshipped, as well as the Sun, the Moon, the Milky Way, Hayk-Orion, Great Bear, Libra and other constellations. The perceptions of ancient Armenians about the Universe, the tangle of mythology and astronomy in their world view are revealed in the cults of gods and goddesses personifying celestial bodies and luminaries.

List of Organizing Committees and Sponsors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2012-03-01

Organizers DIRECTORS Maria L CalvoPresident of International Commission for Optics, Spain Aram V PapoyanDirector of Institute for Physical Research of NAS, Armenia HEADS OF PROJECT Tigran Dadalyan YSU, Armenia Artsrun MartirosyanIPR, Armenia COORDINATOR Narine GevorgyanIPR, Armenia / ICTP, Italy MANAGERS Paytsar MantashyanIPR, Armenia Karen VardanyanIPR, Armenia INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Marcis AuzinshLatvia Roland AvagyanArmenia Tapash ChakrabortyCanada Yuri ChilingaryanArmenia Eduard KazaryanArmenia Albert KirakosyanArmenia Radik KostanyanArmenia Avinash PandeyIndia Marat SoskinUkraine INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM COMMITTEE David Sarkisyan (Chair)Armenia Roman AlaverdyanArmenia Dan ApostolRomania Levon AslanyanArmenia Aranya BhattacherjeeIndia Gagik BuniatyanArmenia Vigen ChaltykyanArmenia Roldao Da RochaBrazil Miltcho DanailovItaly Vladimir GerdtRussia Samvel GevorgyanArmenia Gayane GrigoryanArmenia Rafik HakobyanArmenia Takayuki MiyaderaJapan Levon MouradianArmenia Atom MuradyanArmenia Simon RochesterUSA Hayk SarkisyanArmenia Aleksandr VardanyanArmenia LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Narek AghekyanArmenia Anahit GogyanArmenia Melanya GrigoryanArmenia Armen HovhannisyanArmenia Lilit HovhannisyanArmenia Tatevik KhachatryanArmenia Astghik KuzanyanArmenia Satenik KuzanyanArmenia Vladimir LazarevRussia Lilit MantashyanArmenia Hripsime MkrtchyanArmenia Pavel MuzhikyanArmenia Wahi NarsisianArmenia Sahak OrdukhanyanArmenia Anna ReymersArmenia Narine TorosyanArmenia The Symposium was organized by YSU & NAS SPIE Armenian Student Chapter Institute for Physical Research (IPR) of National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University (RAU) LT-PYRKAL cjsc Yerevan State University (YSU) Official Sponsors of the Symposium LT-PYRKAlRussian ArmenianSPIE LT-PYRKAL cjscRussian-Armenian UniversityYSU & NAS SPIE Student Chapter Further sponsors NFSATICTPSCSADevout Generation National Foundation of Science and Advanced TechnologiesThe Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical PhysicsState Committee of Science of ArmeniaDevout Generation

International Symposium on Optics and its Applications (OPTICS-2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacherjee, Aranya B.; Calvo, Maria L.; Kazaryan, Eduard M.; Papoyan, Aram V.; Sarkisyan, Hayk A.

2012-03-01

OPTICS Logo PREFACE The papers selected for this volume were reported at the International Symposium 'Optics and its applications' (OPTICS-2011, Yerevan & Ashtarak, Armenia, September 5-9, 2011), http://www.ipr.sci.am/optics2011/. The Symposium was organized by the SPIE Armenian Student Chapter and major Armenian R&D organizations, universities and industrial companies working in the field of basic and applied optics: Institute for Physical Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Yerevan State University, Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, and LT-PYRKAL Closed Joint Stock Company. OPTICS-2011 was primarily intended to support and promote the involvement of students and young scientists in various fields of modern optics, giving them the possibility to attend invited talks by prominent scientists and to present and discuss their own results. Furthermore, the Symposium allowed foreign participants from 14 countries to become acquainted with the achievements of optical science and technology in Armenia, which became a full member of the International Commission for Optics (ICO) in 2011. To follow this concept, the Symposium sessions were held in various host institutions. The creative and friendly ambience established at OPTICS-2011 promoted further international collaboration in the field and motivated many students to take up research in optics and photonics as a career. This volume of Journal of Physics: Conference Series covers thematic sections of the Symposium (both oral and poster), which represent the main fields of interest in optics for Armenian scientists: quantum optics & information, laser spectroscopy, optical properties of nanostructures, photonics & fiber optics, and optics of liquid crystals. Such wide coverage is consistent with the general scope of the Symposium, allowing all the students involved in optics to present, discuss and publish their recent results, and for those who are making their first steps in science to choose the direction of their further studies. We are confident that the publication of the Symposium proceedings in JPCS, a worldwide-known open access journal, will help to disseminate and promote current activities in optics, thus facilitating international cooperation and the integration of Armenian scientists into the worldwide optical community. We would like to thank the sponsors of the Symposium: National Foundation of Science and Advanced Technologies (NFSAT), The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), LT-PYRKAL, State Committee of Science of Armenia, Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, and Devout Generation Foundation. We also express our gratitude to the members of the Program Committee for their organization of the manuscript reviewing. Special thanks go to Narine Gevorgyan, Lilit Mantashyan and Paytsar Mantashyan for their invaluable assistance in the compilation of this issue. The Editors, Aranya B Bhattacherjee, University of Delhi, India Maria L Calvo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain Eduard M Kazaryan, Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, Armenia Aram V Papoyan, Institute for Physical Research of NAS, Armenia Hayk A Sarkisyan, Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, Armenia OPTICS group photograph Participants of OPTICS-2011 in front of Yerevan State University Group in Khor Virap Participants of OPTICS-2011 in Khor Virap The PDF also contains additional photographs from the Symposium.